Did I Do The Right Thing?

Instead of a one night stand I think I turned down a one day stand...

Let me get to the point of the matter, yesterday I had a repairman scheduled  to take care of  a broken appliance.

Luckily, it was still under warranty, but here's the down side of the problem I just couldn't call a local repairman it had to be someone that handled warranty problems. This meant He, the repairman, would be coming out of South Carolina, hours away, to fix the problem. How cost effective could this be for them? But, not my worry right? He, the repairman was scheduled to arrive somewhere between 10am and 4pm. OK there goes my off day! I waited, waited, and waited knowing full well it was to be between 10am and 4pm and it was only 11am, but one of my flaws in life is having to wait on anyone when I'm ready to go or get it over with. At 1:30 pm the truck pulls up, the guy gets out, puts out the little orange cones at the front and back of his van, opens the back of the van, gets out a tool pouch attaches it around his waist and a clipboard and heads to the door. I'm watching all this from the camera monitor inside and open the door before he has a chance at ringing the bell. We make the customary exchange, shake hands, and he follows me inside. We make idle chit chat; how was his drive, the approaching summer, all as he goes about his business checking things out. I'm standing there looking over his shoulder as if I was a repairman trainee, knowing full well, I probably was getting on his nerves by micromanaging.

However, curiosity is another one of my flaws, what is broken, why is it broken, does it happen often with this make and model and so on?  A recall part, he says. Well, why didn't I get a notification, oh, just waiting to see how many breaks, huh? To replace the recall part took all of thirty minutes from start to finish.  His total travel time around 6 hours, still hard to fathom the economic side of this.

Matt, the repairman, was OK with this, he got paid by the hour, enjoyed driving, and didn't have to wear a required uniform which was a good thing according to him. Matt was 35-40 if I had to guess, came wearing a pair of cargo shorts which showed his muscular hairy legs - nicely tanned, nice hairy legs, needed mentioning again, a tattoo stamped on his right leg between his ankle and calf, a pullover shirt, sported a baseball cap and a short goatee with a touch of grey. Yes, I was very observant. And, yes I was also glad he didn't have to wear a required uniform.

Here is where it gets interesting.

Remember, my radar hasn't been calibrated in a long while but I got the feeling there was something else on Matt's mind.  After the job he came sat down and we continue to chat about nothing as he filled out the paperwork and had me sign it. Then came this question, are there anything else you need me to help you with, he said. Anything at all? To say I wasn't caught off guard would be an under-statement and I could have easily read something into this, but before I could gather my wits and respond, he asked if he could use the restroom. Sure, it's through the door, down the hall first door to the right is all I said.   Matt walks down the hall and Dumb Dora is standing there contemplating should I or should I not make the next move.  In just a minute, Matt returns and I promise you the cargo pants are a little tighter in the front as he returns and says, well if you don't have any laundry you need help with, I'll be on my way. Well, what does Dumb Dora say --- I guess not but thank- you for fixing the dishwasher and have a safe drive back home!

Tuesday Teaser

When I came across today's selection I couldn't resist. I love a guy wearing a hat. Of course, it showed a lot more and it really was the lot more that caught my eye first but I had to remind myself the post was about hats and not ----. So sorry about cropping out the good stuff. I guess it's from growing up in the South and all the hot, hot summers we have but a lot of guys wear hats. If I'm not at work, I'm usually wearing a hat. No fixing hair, throw some clothes on, slap a hat on it and out the door.

Looking Up

The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be. Anne Frank

I wasn't afraid, lonely, nor was I unhappy but today called for being outside. I had the day off and some free day on my hands, so why not. I grabbed a bottle of water and headed out. The weather was perfect, cell phone was left in the truck, it was nothing but me and mother nature's wonders. I grew up in these woods and there is so many wonderful hidden little gems of solitude along the way. Lying down looking up toward God and the heavens is just what I needed today...it is as it should be.

Thursday Throwback

Here is this week's Thursday Throwback:

First Posted: Saturday November 01, 2008 Entitled: Compromise

The struggles, the battles, the wars, too many to recall. Way to many what ifs or should haves to worry about, what is done is done, there is no going back, there is no do-overs. If I am to survive, there must be a compromise...

Self Commentary: A fellow blogging friend Sooo-this-is-me penned a very good post entitled: Circling Back that made me recall and share this one. It is a struggle looking backwards and wandering what our life would be like today if we had chosen a different path. Would our life be better, would we be happier, would the regrets we place upon ourselves now be completely erased or just replaced with others.  It is what it is, there is no do overs. no going back. We learn, we struggle, we accept to find peace and acceptance with ourselves. We look for the compromise of what if...with what is...and we survive.

Tuesday Teaser

Blindfolded, tied up and completely naked... 

 Would you ever allow yourself to be in this situation?

Thursday Throwback

This week's Thursday Throwback is two parts of a story shared:

First posted: August 18,2006  --  Entitled: Beating Of My Heart (Post #1)

There I was telling myself that it happened. I thought it happened. I believed it happened. I even felt it happened, so I guess it did happen, at least to some degree. I already knew it had the capacity to give and share on different levels and here at this very moment, it was showing to me yet another one, a level never felt before.

I told myself this was the one.

But I was, a young man, almost sure of himself, giving his heart away, placing upon it no restrictions, I gave it freely. It gave its love, it shared its love, somehow there was more than enough for all that entered, each had their own place, safely and securely held within its beating walls. Years came and went, people came and went, but my love for them remained constant, always there. I held fast to the course laid down before me, never knowing my heart, the very heart that beat within the walls of my chest held a secret. This heart on mine that forced the very life sustaining blood through my veins held a secret.

Within its beating walls, behind a locked door, lay a room, never before opened, no one ever allowed to enter. Until, he came into my life. How did he know about this room, when I didn't? Where did he find the key, when I didn't know of its hiding place? What would happen if he ever opened the door?

(Stay tuned for the rest of the story)


First posted: August 22, 2006 -- Entitled: Secret Room (Post #2)

A secret room, a locked room within my heart, guarded never before entered and somehow he had discovered it. My heart had betrayed me, revealing to him its secret. No one before him had ever ventured this far inside, I had never allowed it. Before I knew it, he had placed the key within the lock, the tumblers fell into place, the door unlocked, opened and inside he stepped. I don't know the moment it happened, only that it happened. I've tried many times to remember just when it happened but I honestly can't for the life of me, I only know it happened. A feeling never known before, a feeling never felt before washed over me. I had fooled myself into believing I had felt it, known it, and was living it, but this was different, nothing compared, nothing before had prepared me for this.

I had fell in love with my best friend.

Self Commentary:  He made me realize the capacity of my heart, the ability to love without question, without expectation. There were no secrets between us, the "Closet Door" was open and he accepted me for me. His acceptance was without question, there were no expectations.....but, life is cruel. The journey we walk has many twists and turns and we never know what lies beyond the next bend in its road.  A perfect day can easily turn into a nightmare. This is what happened to me. The cruel hand of fate twisted the  dagger into my  soul, waited to see its blood run red and my heart break with tears of anguish before withdrawing the cold steel from my body.  This love shared ended with his death. Why did I not see it coming......why did he not tell me of his pain, his anguish, his despair.....why?

Tuesday Teaser

Breakfast in Bed!  Let's see what would I try first?

Thursday Throwback

Here is this week's Thursday Throwback.

First Posted: March 26,2006

Entitled: Enough

I need to feel your arms holding me, me holding you.
I need to feel the warmth from your body.
I need to feel your skin against my skin.
I need to see you breathe.
I need to feel alive.
I can not think of anything I would rather be doing.
I can not think of a place I would rather be.
Here with you, is enough.

Self Commentary: Nothing else need be said then or now. 

Tuesday Teaser

Are you a tub or shower guy?

I've always been a shower guy, but this sure looks good after the day I've had....